When are the company Accounts due? Late filing penalties.

Your company accounts are usually due within 9 months from the year end date ( unless you have changed the accounting year).  The company’s year end accounts must be submitted to the companies house within 9 month. and the company’s tax is due within 9 months and 1 day.

Your company’s accounts are due within 12 months from the year end date. The minim penalty imposed by HMRC for not filing the company tax return is £100. This is in addition to the following penalties imposed by the companies house.

Late filing penalties. 

You’ll have to pay penalties if you don’t file your accounts with Companies House by the deadline.

Time after the deadline Penalty (for private limited companies)
Up to 1 month £150
1 to 3 months £375
3 to 6 months £750
More than 6 months £1,500

Penalties for public limited companies are different. The penalty is doubled if your accounts are late 2 years in a row.

Can I appeal against Companies House penalties?

The simple answer is Yes, But you must have a genuine reason for not filing the accounts on time. You must prove the circumstances were both out of your control and made it impossible for you to meet the deadline, for example a fire destroyed your records a few days before your accounts were due.

You can’t appeal by claiming:

  • your company is dormant
  • you can’t afford to pay
  • it was your accountant’s (or anybody else’s) fault
  • you didn’t know when or how to file your accounts
  • your accounts were delayed or lost in the post
  • the directors live or were travelling overseas

You can send a letter to the address on the front page of the penalty invoice, or send an email including the penalty reference.

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